Schools

Montville's Flamingo Invasion

A unique fundraiser by the Montville Projection Graduation 2013 Committee has everyone seeing pink.

In the annuals of history, the 2012-13 school year will forever be known as the year flamingos invaded Montville.

This year, flamingos began showing up all around Montville as part of a unique fundraiser by the Montville Projection Graduation 2013 Committee. The idea is to “flock” someone’s home with plastic flamingos, so when they come home or wake up they are greeted with the surprise of a lawn full of plastic pink birds.

“Most people have been very, very pleased with it,” said Susan Rickards, who is on the committee. “They think it is a great idea and they like to see them.”

The committee charges people for a "flocking," or to put plastic flamingos in someone else's yard. Once hired, members of the committee come when the people are not home or sleeping and fill their yard with plastic flamingos. The birds stay for a day, and then the committee comes back and takes them all home.

The Background

Rickards said one of her friends told her about a town in Rhode Island that does the same fundraiser, and it is extremely popular. She proposed doing it two years ago, and was rebuffed, but proposed it again this year and the idea was met with open arms.

So far, about 20 homes have been flocked, Rickards said. In one particularly memorable incident, her and her friend flocked a person’s home at 11 at night, after they went to bed, so when they woke up they were greeted with a yard full of flamingos. 

However, their can be a sense of safety for those who don’t like flamingos, Rickards said. People can buy anti-flocking insurance, which guarantees that their yard will not be flocked, she said.

Rickards said that while this is the first year of flocking, she hopes it goes on for many more and becomes a tradition. This year, the fundraiser has made about $500, she said, and now the flamingos have already been bought.

More Information

The price of a flocking depends on how many flamingos you want to buy. A small flock of 15 flamingos cost $25, while a super-sized flock of 60 flamingos cost $100. Anti-flocking insurance costs $15.

To flock someone, drop off orders at the youth center at Montville High School. The money goes to the drugs-and-alcohol-free party the night of graduation. 

Flockings will be available for purchase until the end of the school year. 


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